Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
Elementary· 12 schools in district

Garden Lakes Elementary School

10825 W GARDEN LAKES PKWY, AVONDALE, AZ 85392Pendergast Elementary District (4283) →
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades PK–08Non-Charter
885
Students
Total enrolled
$12,408
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
↓ 14% vs nat'l
21.1 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
↑ 37% vs nat'l
46/100
Opportunity Score
Neighborhood outcomes
~avg
⇄ Compare with another school
Large public school
Serves 885 students in grades PK–08 in AVONDALE, Arizona.
14% below average funding
District spends $12,408 per pupil, 14% less than the national average of $14,347.
Near-median opportunity
Children from this neighborhood historically reach the 46th income percentile as adults, per Harvard/Census Opportunity Atlas data.
About This School

Garden Lakes Elementary School is a large elementary in AVONDALE, Arizona, serving grades PK–08 with 885 students. The district invests $12,408 per student — 14% below the national average of $14,347, with a 21.1:1 student-teacher ratio that is higher than the national norm of 15.4:1. About 57% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a mixed-income student body.

Student Body & Demographics at Garden Lakes Elementary School

885
Total Students
21.1 : 1
Student:Teacher
57%
Free Lunch
42
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
PK
K
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Highlighted grades (PK–08) are served by this school
Gender Distribution440 male · 445 female
50%
50%
Male 50%Female 50%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility57%
National avg 52% · 504 students
Student Composition
19%
62%
9%
Asian4%
White19%
Hispanic / Latino62%
Black9%
Multiracial6%
Native American1%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 040621001499

Academic Outcomes at Garden Lakes Elementary School

Neighborhood Opportunity Score
46
/ 100
Near-median opportunity

Children from modest-income families in this neighborhood reach the 46th income percentile as adults. This school is in the 63th percentile nationally.

0 — Low50 — MedianHigh — 100
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census) · Census tract · ZIP 85392

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$12,408Below avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$12,408
State avg
$16,564
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$5,459
Student Support$2,357
Administration$1,489
Operations$1,861
Other$1,241
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $12,408 spent per student, an estimated $5,497 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
49%
28%
State government
49.4%
Local (property tax)
28.1%
Federal programs
22.5%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • Traditional public school — open enrollment, no application process required
Strengths and considerations are derived from federal data thresholds — not editorial judgements. See data sources below.
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelElementary
GradesPK – 08
Location—
CountyMaricopa County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictPendergast Elementary District (4283) →
Phone: (623)772-2520
NCES ID: 040621001499
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in AVONDALE seeking a public elementary school, especially those prioritizing a solid, no-frills public education. We always recommend an in-person visit and a conversation with current families before making any enrollment decision.

More in Pendergast Elementary District (4283)
Elem
Westwind Elementary School
973 students · PK–08
● 42 opp82% FRL
Elem
Copper King Elementary
786 students · PK–08
● 42 opp74% FRL
Elem
Desert Horizon Elementary School
732 students · PK–08
● 42 opp77% FRL
Elem
Desert Mirage Elementary School
708 students · PK–08
● 44 opp60% FRL
Elem
Pendergast Elementary School
658 students · PK–08
● 42 opp77% FRL
Elem
Canyon Breeze Elementary
642 students · PK–08
● 46 opp61% FRL
Elem
Rio Vista Elementary
641 students · PK–08
● 46 opp68% FRL
Elem
Villa De Paz Elementary School
618 students · PK–08
● 42 opp68% FRL
District School Rankings
Location
10825 W GARDEN LAKES PKWY, AVONDALE, AZ 85392
Data Sources & Transparency
Enrollment & Profile
NCES Common Core of Data. Grades, enrollment, demographics, school characteristics. Updated annually.
Funding & Spending
NCES F-33 Finance Survey. District-level spending data. School-level breakdowns are not publicly reported.
Graduation Rate
EDFacts Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (ACGR). High schools only. Small cohorts may be range-coded for privacy.
Opportunity Score
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census Bureau). Census tract outcomes for children born in the 1980s.
Fact-Based Rankings
Best-school rankings are computed from federal metrics only — enrollment, per-pupil spending, student-teacher ratio, opportunity score, and graduation rate. No editorial opinion or paid placements.
Equity Data (Coming Soon)
AP access, counselor ratios, and chronic absenteeism from the CRDC will be added in a future update.

Questions to Ask on Your School Visit

Research shows the most important factors are invisible in the data. Here is what to ask when you visit.

Elementary
1
How is early reading and literacy taught?
Look for evidence-based, structured approaches
2
How does the school communicate with families?
Frequency, channels, translation support
3
What support exists for students who fall behind?
Tutoring, intervention programs, IEPs
4
What's the average class size here?
National avg is ~23 for elementary
5
What before/after-school programs are available?
Important for working parents
6
How is student social-emotional wellbeing supported?
Counselors, community circles, conflict resolution
7
What does the school do with student performance data?
How data is used to personalize instruction
8
How would you describe teacher retention here?
High turnover can disrupt continuity of learning
9
What's the culture around student diversity and inclusion?
How differences are celebrated and managed

Frequently Asked Questions

About this school and the data on this page

About This Data

All figures on this page come directly from US federal open datasets — NCES Common Core of Data, EDFacts, and the Opportunity Atlas — and we work hard to keep them accurate and up to date. That said, federal data is published on an annual cycle, so some figures may not yet reflect the very latest school-year changes or local updates. We recommend using this page as a helpful starting point and cross-checking with the school or district directly, or visiting the NCES Common Core of Data and ed.gov for the most authoritative figures before making any important decisions.